BAINBRIDGE - As the sun rose over Bainbridge Tuesday, residents began to gather to watch scores of volunteer firefighters fighting a large fire in the heart of the village.

It took nearly 12 hours before the fire, reported at 2:17 a.m., was out and crews from at least 11 departments across four counties — Ross, Highland, Pike, and Fayette — began to leave, giving investigators their first chance to more closely inspect the scene. Despite the collapse of a large portion of an 1800s-era building, no injuries were reported and everyone known to have lived in apartments in the northeastern part of the building were able to escape.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and officials continue to discuss what to do next in order to reopen Main Street on U.S. 50 at Ohio 41. On Wednesday, the Ross County Sheriff's Office announced that investigators would be in the area locating additional witnesses and conducting interviews. Those with any information relating to the fire are being asked to call the State Fire Marshal's Office at 800-589-2728 or the Ross County Sheriff's Office at 740-773-1185.

While residents speculated about what may have caused the fire, they also shared memories of what once filled the building. Newman's Used Cars, where Ross County Sheriff George Lavender said they suspect the fire started, was a Sohio gas station when Marian Knisley was a girl and a variety store was once among the shops inside the now partially collapsed building.

"Helen Jones had a variety store in there and all the kids ran in there and bought penny candy ... There's a lot of memories in that little building, but it was getting in bad shape," Knisley said.

Aside from a few apartments, the building has sat largely empty for many years, locals said. A primitives store had moved not long ago, though, to the former Lloyd's Furniture store.

Cherry Miller remembers when the Bainbridge Historical Society was located in the center, or yellow portion, of the brightly painted building, when she was president of the society. The top floor had once housed the Order of the Eastern Star of which she and her parents had been members.

"(I have) memories of friends and everybody getting together; the funny things and silly things that would happen. You knew everybody. You felt comfortable with everyone," Miller said.

Along with the variety store, Miller fondly recalled Gragg's Country Store which she said had attracted city journalists because he had never modernized the store.

"It was a little country grocery store. He would have different people come in with basket making and mushrooms from out in the hills," she said. "It's hard to see it go."

Ross County EMA Director Paul Minney expected the building would be demolished, but the building owners were still meeting with insurance officials and the county building code inspector at mid-day Tuesday.

Wednesday, the sheriff's office reported that the four structures involved the fire, including the apartment units, businesses and car sales lot, are total losses while the village office building suffered external damage. A handful of cars on the lot and at least one on the street also were damaged.

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A Paint Creek firefighter prepares to go up in the ladder to put more water onto a fire on U.S. 50 at the intersection of Ohio 41 in Bainbridge.(Photo: Jona Ison/Gazette)

Minney said some of the first firefighters on scene reported hearing several "loud explosions." Bainbridge Fire Chief John Kemme said no explosions had been reported at the onset of the fire and the sounds firefighters heard may have been from vehicles on the car lot. Newman's also had a mechanic area which presumably would have had combustible items due to the nature of the business that could have contributed to noises and potentially fed the fire.

According to Minney, the sidewalk across from the scene would be fully reopened to pedestrians and business traffic.

"The rest is closed until these buildings are taken down and the fire marshal gives the OK," he added.

The following fire departments from Ross and Pike counties were among those who responded to help Bainbridge Fire Department: Twin, Union, Scioto, Concord, Paint Creek, Brush Creek, Benton, Pee Pee, and Waverly. Box 65, which provides relief services like water and food, also responded from Pickaway County.